Politicsמג'לי והבה

Majalli Wahabi

Majalli Wahabi is a Druze Israeli politician who served in the Knesset from 2003 to 2013 and in 2007 became the first non-Jew to serve as Israel's acting president.

born 1954First non-Jewish acting presidentDeputy Foreign MinisterKnesset member, 2003 to 2013

Born: 12 February 1954, Beit Jann
Occupation: politician, member of parliament
Party: Likud, Kadima, Hatnuah
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of Haifa
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Majalli Wahabi was born in 1954 in Beit Jann

Wahabi was born in 1954 in the Druze village of Beit Jann in the Upper Galilee. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and the history of Islam at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He later earned a master's degree in modern Middle East history at the University of Haifa.

He served as an officer in the IDF and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. He fought in the 1982 Lebanon War and later served as a deputy brigade commander.

Wahabi worked closely with Ariel Sharon and took part in contacts with Jordan. He was a senior adviser at the Foreign Ministry in 1998 and 1999, then director general of the Ministry for Regional Cooperation, the first Druze to head a government ministry.

He entered the Knesset for Likud in 2003 and became a deputy minister in 2005. He followed Sharon to Kadima, served as Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, and became Deputy Foreign Minister in 2007. That year he served several short periods as acting president.

In 2012 he joined Hatnuah and lost his seat in the 2013 elections. His autobiography appeared in 2018. He is married with 4 children.

Majalli Wahabi's life in 8 milestones

1954
Born in Beit Jann.
1982
Served in the Lebanon War.
2003
Elected to the Knesset for Likud.
2005
Appointed deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
2007
Served as acting president and became Deputy Foreign Minister.
2012
Joined the Hatnuah party.
2013
Lost his Knesset seat.
2018
Published his autobiography.

Majalli Wahabi held 2 offices between 2003 and 2013

1954today

Knesset member 2003 to 2013
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 2007 to 2009

Majalli Wahabi served in the military

Wahabi served as an IDF officer in a Druze infantry battalion, fought in the 1982 Lebanon War, and later served as a deputy brigade commander and senior Northern Command officer. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Likud Kadima